That’s exactly what’s been happening in the bike industry. Obsessing over spreadsheets, trends and click rates, it’s still selling bikes and numbers in many places—while the rider, the passion, and any real sense of purpose are slipping through the cracks.
Right now, it feels like we’re stumbling from one crisis to the next, patching up the symptoms with more tech and more hype, instead of finally getting to the root of the problem. This issue zooms out. It widens the lens. It resets the priorities—whether it’s about life, road bikes or the industry as a whole.
At the same time, this issue is full of contrasts. We go deep into geeky topics, debating marginal gains and existential pain—only to pull back again and look at the bigger questions shaping the cycling world, while soaking up the dolce vita of our sister magazine DOWNTOWN. Pizza ovens. Espresso machines. Titanium frames nobody needs, but everybody wants. We visit up-and-coming brands like Megamo and OQUO and ask: is more expensive always better? And why does the gap between what we want and what we can afford sometimes hurt so much?
Oversized pulley wheels, laminated carbon spokes, fuelling strategies —anyone diving into the marginal gains game is bound to face a few dark nights of the soul. Financially, psychologically, existentially. Our editorial wizard Nils has gone all in for you.
If you go down, you’ve got to climb back up again. This time, we head high—into the Bregenzerwald Alps. Where Heidi and Karl-Heinz aren’t sitting on a sun terrace, but standing in a field. A break from success, status and self-optimisation. No more career stress, calendars or control. What does real freedom look like? Am I living my life—or someone else’s? And where do I actually want to invest my time?
Back to reality—or better yet, forward into the future. In our latest Think Tank, we brought together some of the brightest minds in the cycling world. We didn’t just talk about risks and opportunities—we tackled the next big innovation and what it’ll take to make it happen together. Whether you’re a roadie, mountain biker, cargo mum or gravel newbie, we all stand to gain when we join forces. And we’re not just calling for action—we’re taking the first step ourselves with GRAN FONDO and 41 Publishing.
What exactly do we mean? You’ll find out in the Brixen Paper #01—the first of eleven essays and analyses from our Think Tank. Our mission: to rethink the bike world in crisis. More honest. More sustainable. Built for the future.
Gravel? Endurance? Allroad? Or just… riding? What if no one cared what type of bike they were on,and simply went out to ride? We tested three modern bikes—a lightweight climber, a gravel racer and a modern endurance bike—and asked ourselves: is Allroad dead? Or is it exactly what we need once we stop putting bikes into boxes?
What do I really need.And why? That question runs through this issue like a thread. Because when it comes to buying the perfect road bike, it’s easy to lose your way. Is the fastest bike necessarily the best? And why do so many riders end up choosing the wrong one—maybe even you?
We’ve taken a closer look at two of BMC’s top-tier models—Roadmachine 01 vs. Teammachine R 01—to show just how different “good” can be.
SRAM RED vs. SRAM Rival: Big names, small differences? One costs €3,205 more and weighs 507 g less—but what about performance? Is the SRAM RED AXS really worth it, or can the SRAM Rival AXS give its pricey sibling a run for its money?
We’re electrifying everything,from derailleurs to dropper posts. Now it’s the air pump’s turn. A new generation of ultra-portable battery-powered mini pumps promises effortless inflation at the push of a button. But is this a smart innovation, or just another gadget that’s flat when you need it most? We put seven mini pumps to the test!
And because great tech doesn’t only come from Asia: we visited OQUO in the Basque Country. Here, it’s not just the wheel that’s being reimagined—the hub is too. Made in Europe, made with passion.
With the current flood of high-end carbon frames, it’s hard not to wonder: is there still room to go further? The Anemos² Ti Masterpiece aims to prove there is—with carbon tubes, 3D-printed titanium lugs, top-tier components and a flawless finish. But does the Parapera only look the part—or does it perform on the road too?
And since roadies rarely settle for bad coffee, we teamed up with our sister magazine DOWNTOWN to test, steam and sip: which espresso machine can actually make your life better? And where is the coffee world seeing a full-blown revolution?
Neon-yellow tags, wild trial bikes and full-on ’90s anarcho vibes. MEGAMO were once the punks of the bike scene. Today, the wild child of the past is on its way to becoming a global player. We visited the Catalans to find out how you grow up without losing your edge.
3D-printed titanium? Nothing new. But a frame printed in one single piece? That’s a first. With the Omega, Falkenjagd present the world’s first titanium frame created in a single print process—raising the bar for titanium framebuilding. We tested the near-production prototype to find out whether it lives up to the bold promise.
This issue is packed with innovation, contrasts and pure passion. From the big picture to the nerdy, fascinating details—and all the way back again.
Let it inspire you. Question things. Start a discussion. But don’t just watch from the sidelines. Get out there and write your own adventure. Because if you don’t live your life,who will?
Enjoy the mix of articles that have made it into this issue, and grab yourself some inspiration! Get the latest issue directly on your device if you already have our app. Otherwise, simply install it from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or the Play Store (Android Smartphones & Tablets).
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Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: various
